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[DoubleClutch]

This is somewhat of an ironic statement considering PlayStation / Xbox is a locked down platform that is certainly tracking everything you’re doing. How can they possibly be more private than the average PC, which is inherently an open platform?

Anti-cheat.

Take something like BattlEye, which is kernel level surveillance. They create a fingerprint for you and have access to your whole computer. That doesn’t mean it’ll be used for malicious purposes, but if you’re someone like me, you don’t like such access being present to begin with.

Not too long ago, having a back-door installed was considered the most egregious spyware. Now gamers are forced to install something similar just to play games.

Take Vanguard used for League of Legends or Valorant, it’s running 24/7 in the background!

The nice thing about a console is the only thing on it is gaming data. With a PC, I would imagine most people have far more private data on it.

So as a PC gamer, your only options are:

1. Give in and install spyware
2. Dual boot / dual PCs / run an isolated environment

I’m glad Linux gaming is becoming bigger and bigger because it’ll help against these privacy invasions. Also, companies need to start being held accountable for not investing in better servers. Higher quality server-side processing would allow them to run the anti-cheat on them, instead of locally on your computer.

 

[Schmendrick]

Ahem....Sony Data Breach ring a bell?

 

[Guilty_AI]

Depends on a lot of factors and what exactly you're trying to keep safe. A console is essentially a dedicated gaming machine and by default will grant more privacy than a PC since its not used for much else, however its not that much different from keeping a PC exclusively for gaming.

Another factor is that you're likely still inserting critical data on your console such as credit card information, so its not really that secure. In the end it still depends how you handle your data security.

 

[lh032]

one of the good thing about console is less cheaters, DRM and launcher crap

 

[rodrigolfp]

Take Vanguard used for League of Legends or Valorant, it’s running 24/7 in the background!

Hmm. No. Just configure it to run when the game runs.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Deleted

 

[EverydayBeast]

You don’t see console gamers complain about privacy no they just play the game how can you have a pc and not print a document, check an email, go to a website. You should be able to sit down and play.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Ahem....Sony Data Breach ring a bell?

If you hack Sony, you’re going to get extremely basic data about me which so many other entities have and which isn’t exciting.

If you hack my computer, there is infinitely more information on there. Investment data, medical records, private conversations, etc.

With my computer you could impersonate me. With my PlayStation you couldn’t.

 

[lh032]

You really think Sony/Microsoft aren't spying on you or selling your data?


There are less cheaters but PC has DRM too lol and launchers isn't really an issue. In fact it offers competition which apparently scares some people.


You can turn it off but if you want to enable it again you need to restart your PC. It's a pain in the ass to do that whenever you want to play League/Valorant.

no im saying i prefer console because it has almost non-existanr always online DRM and launcher crap.

 

[rodrigolfp]

You can turn it off but if you want to enable it again you need to restart your PC.

? Just set it to manual on services.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Deleted

 

[Danjin44]

Another factor is that you're likely still inserting critical data on your console such as credit card information, so its not really that secure. In the end it still depends how you handle your data security.

This is why I don’t, I only use pre-paid card to buy stuff from PS store.

 

[ResilientBanana]

OP is so full of shit. Every EULA you agree to signs your soul away. ESPECIALLY if the publisher makes you sign up for their shit. Also it's not spyware, it's kernal level security to make sure you're not running cheat software which also tries to run undetected in a similar manner

 

[nightmare-slain]

Deleted

 

[DoubleClutch]

What if they don't hack you but Sony. With all the info they have on you they could build a profile of you. Sure it's not as bad as if someone got into your PC and had access to sensitive documents but it's still something to worry about.

Sony won’t have a lot of info on me. Like my gaming preferences? Not concerned about that.

 

[Sooner]

Console players don't care about privacy. They won't mind an always online console with a mandatory camera and microphone.

Ask Don Mattrick.

And, if they do.... well, fuck them.

Ask Adam Orth.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Deleted

 

[DoubleClutch]

Console players don't care about privacy. They won't mind an always online console with a mandatory camera and microphone.

Ask Don Mattrick.

Funny, but the always online “deal with it” is what killed Xbox. They had so much momentum from 360 but they had to jump to big brother.

 

[Senua]

Great thread bro make more

 

[nightmare-slain]

Deleted

 

[Cyberpunkd]

This is somewhat of an ironic statement considering PlayStation / Xbox is a locked down platform that is certainly tracking everything you’re doing. How can they possibly be more private than the average PC, which is inherently an open platform?

Anti-cheat.

Take something like BattlEye, which is kernel level surveillance. They create a fingerprint for you and have access to your whole computer. That doesn’t mean it’ll be used for malicious purposes, but if you’re someone like me, you don’t like such access being present to begin with.

Not too long ago, having a back-door installed was considered the most egregious spyware. Now gamers are forced to install something similar just to play games.

Take Vanguard used for League of Legends or Valorant, it’s running 24/7 in the background!

The nice thing about a console is the only thing on it is gaming data. With a PC, I would imagine most people have far more private data on it.

So as a PC gamer, your only options are:

1. Give in and install spyware
2. Dual boot / dual PCs / run an isolated environment

I’m glad Linux gaming is becoming bigger and bigger because it’ll help against these privacy invasions. Also, companies need to start being held accountable for not investing in better servers. Higher quality server-side processing would allow them to run the anti-cheat on them, instead of locally on your computer.

You understand there are hundreds of multiplayer games on PC since time immemorial? No, they are not full of cheaters, this is all but eliminated now, and has been for a few years.

 

[mansoor1980]

nothing is private these days

 

[Dorfdad]

Hmm. No. Just configure it to run when the game runs.

I don’t believe You get that option

 

[DoubleClutch]

You understand there are hundreds of multiplayer games on PC since time immemorial? No, they are not full of cheaters, this is all but eliminated now, and has been for a few years.

I hope this is a sarcastic post…

 

[rodrigolfp]

no im saying i prefer console because it has almost non-existanr always online DRM and launcher crap.

Consoles are entirely a digital and physical rights management as you can't normally do anything in it that the manufacturer doesn't allow. And it's a big 1 launcher only wallet garden machine.

 

[Guilty_AI]

This is why I don’t, I only use pre-paid card to buy stuff from PS store.

well, yeah. Like i said, it's still down to how you handle your own info safety.

 

[ManaByte]

LOL console makers can see what you're doing on your console the entire time it's turned on with an internet connection.

When the Stellar Blade demo leaked, Sony was able to kick people off the demo and disable it WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING IT.

 

[T4keD0wN]

So as a PC gamer, your only options are:

1. Give in and install spyware
2. Dual boot / dual PCs / run an isolated environment

Option 3 - simply avoid granting kernel level access by only playing good games.

 

[DoubleClutch]

well, yeah. Like i said, it's still down to how you handle your own info safety.

Thankfully most every credit card is insured. If someone steals it and makes purchases you never authorized, it’s almost as easy as calling in and saying so.

I’m not that worried about my credit cards being compromised.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

This is why I don’t, I only use pre-paid card to buy stuff from PS store.

Congrats on being paranoid, or maybe just living in the US. Two-factor authentication is a standard in the EU right now, I need to click through 3 screens on my mobile app to pay even 5€ online.

 

[rodrigolfp]

I don’t believe You get that option

Services.msc > vgc > set to manual.

 

[mayham2199]

No, they are not full of cheaters, this is all but eliminated now, and has been for a few years.

Haha man this has to be a joke.

 

[Danjin44]

Congrats on being paranoid, or maybe just living in the US. Two-factor authentication is a standard in the EU right now, I need to click through 3 screens on my mobile app to pay even 5€ online.

Call me paranoid but I just don’t trust Sony and Nintendo when it comes to online security.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Services.msc > vgc > set to manual.

Will it stop when you close the game or keep running?

 

[mayham2199]

LOL console makers can see what you're doing on your console the entire time it's turned on with an internet connection.

When the Stellar Blade demo leaked, Sony was able to kick people off the demo and disable it WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING IT.

Sure but isn't the pro of a PC is that you can do much more than just play games on it? So they can see everything you do on your PC vs all I do on my console is play games.

Call me paranoid but I just don’t trust Sony and Nintendo when it comes to online security.

This is why I just use my CC on there. If it gets hacked fine I'll call up my CC company get the charges reversed and be on my way.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Congrats on being paranoid, or maybe just living in the US. Two-factor authentication is a standard in the EU right now, I need to click through 3 screens on my mobile app to pay even 5€ online.

This man is comparing apples with cars

 

[rodrigolfp]

Will it stop when you close the game or keep running?

Sadly will keep running but you can shut it down on task manager.

 

[Danjin44]

This is why I just use my CC on there. If it gets hacked fine I'll call up my CC company get the charges reversed and be on my way.

There a store close to my house that sells pre-paid PlayStation cards, it just much better option for me.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Sadly will keep running but you can shut it down on task manager.

Right, which is still a big problem.

And even if it was temporary, it’s a lot of access to give to play a game.

 

[March Climber]

I thought the OP was talking about the likelihood of encountering hackers/cheaters online for each platform, but this thread quickly switched tracks to big businesses having your data and that data being leaked.



Maybe you noticed this OP and simply rolled with it, but it is an odd way of a topic quickly being pointed in a different direction and no one picking up on it.

 

[DoubleClutch]

I thought the OP was talking about the likelihood of encountering hackers/cheaters online for each platform, but this thread quickly switched tracks to big businesses having your data and that data being leaked.



Maybe you noticed this OP and simply rolled with it, but it is an odd way of a topic quickly being pointed in a different direction and no one picking up on it.

You can find cheaters on all platforms, my point is how gaming compromises privacy.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Thankfully most every credit card is insured. If someone steals it and makes purchases you never authorized, it’s almost as easy as calling in and saying so.

I’m not that worried about my credit cards being compromised.

There's also the matter of registered accounts with emails, telephone numbers and passwords.

Another factor i forgot to mention - that isn't so much security related but still highly annoying - is the fact console makers can ban your entire console from their network, whereas that can't be done with a PC or at least the effect of the ban would be much more limited.

 

[March Climber]

You can find cheaters on all platforms, my point is how gaming compromises privacy.

I completely misread your OP then. Apologies.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Right, which is still a big problem.

And even if it was temporary, it’s a lot of access to give to play a game.

Not big, but still a problem.

 

[Zathalus]

Easy solution, just don’t play League or Valorant.

 

[rodrigolfp]

So they can see everything you do on your PC vs all I do on my console is play games.

Make a secondary user/profile to gaming only.

 

[ManaByte]

So they can see everything you do on your PC vs all I do on my console is play games.

No they can't. Consoles are closed systems run by the platform holder. A game maker of a PC game isn't spying on you like you think.

 

[digdug2]

funny enough you'll find people are more accepting of always online these days but let's keep thinking it's 2013.

I know I'm not alone when I say that 'always online' is a bunch of bullshit for single player games. I don't want to authenticate with a server to be able to play a physical disc-version of a single player game. That's just ridiculous, even though it is getting closer and closer to this reality.

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

Retro consoles. Then, yes.

 

[mayham2199]

There a store close to my house that sells pre-paid PlayStation cards, it just much better option for me.

I get it. I also like using my CC cause I get 2% back on all purchases so by the end of the year I get another two grand or so in cash back which is nice. I try to put everything I buy on my CC.